The Blessing of the Animals 2008

On Sunday, October 5, 2008, we commemorated Saint Francis of Assisi with our first annual service of the Blessing of the Animals. Almost eighty humans, both regular members of the congregation and neighbours of the church, came with their wonderful creatures great and small. Although we were mostly dogs—ranging from small toys to two Great Danes—we were blessed with the presence of a couple of cats, a pair of turtles, some compost worms, and a hedgehog. Everyone, including the animals, behaved wonderfully!

Here are some wonderful photos of the service and of our friends:

Here are close-ups of some of our animal friends:

Photos by Colin Everett, Alison Howard-Levy, and Jacalyn Blume